As a “newer-ish” tennis spectator (been watching religiously the last five years), I absolutely love your writing and content. You always offer such a fresh and unique perspective to the sport. Even when I feel like I don’t have time to read another tennis post, once I start yours, I can’t stop. And thank you for always ending with a reminder that there’s a fabulous world beyond tennis, too. Off to watch the Sinner… but not before today’s semifinals (maybe).
It makes perfect sense that one of the first consequences of more prize money is a support team. Once upon a time, without an abundance of money, the first step to figuring out how to win a match on tour was figuring out how to move from a supported environment to an environment with zero support. Had to make acquaintances quickly. If you didn't have some acquaintences to hit with it was down to finding a wall. There is a great French Open documentary on youtube, titled "The French 1981." One of the more striking things is all of the players, the top seeds, hanging out with each other in the locker room. It's not just lower ranked players, one practice match is McEnroe and Connors, hitting with each other the day before the tournament starts, no coaches.
It is sad if now the players don't hang out with each other as much. I agree that a paid team is no substitute.
I always marvel at your command of both English and the American "culture", with clever touches of slang, homelies, and traditions. As an English-only speaker, reading your written thoughts is both humbling and astounding. On that note: Things that make me happy - your correct spelling of racquet. Things that make me not unhappy, but understanding for the tiny flaw - training regularly is part of a regimen; a regiment is a military formation. Ciao!
Excellent content and expertly written. Even though my tennis knowledge is limited to Wimbledon and strawberries with cream served with a pint of Pimm’s lol I absolutely enjoy all your posts and can say with confidence that it was your ex boyfriends and certainly not you speaking from a bad boyfriend perspective.❤️
Brendan just got home from college for the summer. “Mom, you have to see the movie, Sinners. I’ll see it again if you want to go.” I had read your latest post a couple hours earlier. 😉(Bertha from Miami)
I just listened to this wildly entertaining podcast about the sport of Curling 🥌(yes the shuffleboard on ice, sport) called "Broomgate" and how one curling broom manufacturer introduced a new broom that sent shockwaves throughout the sport.
I've never been so fascinated with the 'material history' of a sport and thought you may enjoy it.
Fascinating! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
The funny thing is the "water" joke I think was lifted from baseball. There was a center fielder in the 60s and 70s they'd say that about. I am amused it's lived on, decades later, into different sports, tiring out generations of people.
I don't have data on this, so perhaps I'm completely wrong. But it sure seems like players play fewer tournaments and matches than players used to in the past, either because today's players are injured or because they're concerned about injuries that might come from playing too much. So while I agree that players today are stronger, faster and more flexible, and focused more on injury prevention, all of those things seem to me less like signs of progress in the sport and more like symptoms of a big problem: The sport, as currently played, is too physically demanding, and players are forced to do everything they can -- often in vain -- to keep up with it.
Also, unrelated: I didn't realize it had migrated to tennis, but the "70 percent of the Earth's surface . . . " line is a bit of a sporting cliche at this point. I don't know who first came up with it, or whom they said it about, but I know that as far back as the 1970s, people were saying that "Two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water; the other third is covered by Garry Maddox," a center fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team.
One wonders (meaning me) if the changes to tennis about which you write, the increased professionalism, is not a response to the increased globalization and commercialism of all professional sports. I mark the beginning of this trend in tennis the moment Jimmy Connors abandoned his wooden racquet.
As a “newer-ish” tennis spectator (been watching religiously the last five years), I absolutely love your writing and content. You always offer such a fresh and unique perspective to the sport. Even when I feel like I don’t have time to read another tennis post, once I start yours, I can’t stop. And thank you for always ending with a reminder that there’s a fabulous world beyond tennis, too. Off to watch the Sinner… but not before today’s semifinals (maybe).
It makes perfect sense that one of the first consequences of more prize money is a support team. Once upon a time, without an abundance of money, the first step to figuring out how to win a match on tour was figuring out how to move from a supported environment to an environment with zero support. Had to make acquaintances quickly. If you didn't have some acquaintences to hit with it was down to finding a wall. There is a great French Open documentary on youtube, titled "The French 1981." One of the more striking things is all of the players, the top seeds, hanging out with each other in the locker room. It's not just lower ranked players, one practice match is McEnroe and Connors, hitting with each other the day before the tournament starts, no coaches.
It is sad if now the players don't hang out with each other as much. I agree that a paid team is no substitute.
I always marvel at your command of both English and the American "culture", with clever touches of slang, homelies, and traditions. As an English-only speaker, reading your written thoughts is both humbling and astounding. On that note: Things that make me happy - your correct spelling of racquet. Things that make me not unhappy, but understanding for the tiny flaw - training regularly is part of a regimen; a regiment is a military formation. Ciao!
noooo, how could i mess this up! it will haunt me like a regiment (the military kind) in my dreams!
Ich mag wie du schreibst!
Excellent content and expertly written. Even though my tennis knowledge is limited to Wimbledon and strawberries with cream served with a pint of Pimm’s lol I absolutely enjoy all your posts and can say with confidence that it was your ex boyfriends and certainly not you speaking from a bad boyfriend perspective.❤️
thank you for the emotional support 🙏🏻
Great perspectives. thanks
Brendan just got home from college for the summer. “Mom, you have to see the movie, Sinners. I’ll see it again if you want to go.” I had read your latest post a couple hours earlier. 😉(Bertha from Miami)
good taste!
Well, you were his first crush, so yeah. 😉🎾
🤪
I just listened to this wildly entertaining podcast about the sport of Curling 🥌(yes the shuffleboard on ice, sport) called "Broomgate" and how one curling broom manufacturer introduced a new broom that sent shockwaves throughout the sport.
I've never been so fascinated with the 'material history' of a sport and thought you may enjoy it.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/broomgate-a-curling-scandal/id1741821498
It seems that no matter what we do these days, loneliness will increase.
true.
Fascinating! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com
The funny thing is the "water" joke I think was lifted from baseball. There was a center fielder in the 60s and 70s they'd say that about. I am amused it's lived on, decades later, into different sports, tiring out generations of people.
Beste
The words breakfast and cheese should never appear in the same sentence - ever.
Regiment, however, should be used at any time and in any context from now on.
I don't have data on this, so perhaps I'm completely wrong. But it sure seems like players play fewer tournaments and matches than players used to in the past, either because today's players are injured or because they're concerned about injuries that might come from playing too much. So while I agree that players today are stronger, faster and more flexible, and focused more on injury prevention, all of those things seem to me less like signs of progress in the sport and more like symptoms of a big problem: The sport, as currently played, is too physically demanding, and players are forced to do everything they can -- often in vain -- to keep up with it.
Also, unrelated: I didn't realize it had migrated to tennis, but the "70 percent of the Earth's surface . . . " line is a bit of a sporting cliche at this point. I don't know who first came up with it, or whom they said it about, but I know that as far back as the 1970s, people were saying that "Two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water; the other third is covered by Garry Maddox," a center fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team.
One wonders (meaning me) if the changes to tennis about which you write, the increased professionalism, is not a response to the increased globalization and commercialism of all professional sports. I mark the beginning of this trend in tennis the moment Jimmy Connors abandoned his wooden racquet.
Only the best fart jokes are timeless, Andrea. Great article, always very insightful.